IstanPol is pleased to announce its Visiting Researcher Program, aimed at supporting the work of young scholars and professionals engaged in research on democratization and foreign policy. The program is open to PhD candidates, post-doctoral researchers, early-career academics, or professionals with equivalent experience in think tanks and research centers, up to the age of 35.

Visiting researchers may stay at IstanPol for a maximum of 90 days, with the option of splitting the stay into 30- or 60-day periods. During their time with us, selected candidates will have the opportunity to participate in IstanPol’s activities, access our offices, and engage with our network of scholars and practitioners. Please note that no payment or reimbursements will be provided for this program, and selected applicants are expected to rely on their own funds during their stay. 

Research Areas

We invite applications addressing one of the following themes:

Democratization

• Democratic backsliding and resilience
• Political parties, elections, and democratic participation
• Civil society, media, and grassroots movements
• Rule of law, social inclusion and pluralism
• Youth and democracy

Foreign Policy

• Turkey’s relations with NATO, the EU, and transatlantic partners
• Regional security dynamics in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean
• Turkey–Russia relations and great power competition
• Turkey’s global role: strategic autonomy, multilateralism, and middle power diplomacy

Eligibility and Non-Discrimination Policy

IstanPol is committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in all its activities. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, or sexual orientation.

Applicants must:

• Be under the age of 35 at the time of application.
• Demonstrate a clear research agenda aligned with the themes outlined above.
• Commit to a stay of up to 90 days (in one or multiple periods). Shorter periods of a minimum of 30 days will be taken into consideration.

Application Requirements

All applicants must submit the following documents as one single PDF file. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

1. Curriculum Vitae (CV)
2. Motivational Letter (max. 2 pages)
3. One-page Research Project Proposal
4. Writing Sample (published or unpublished)
5. Names and contact details of two referees (we reserve the right to contact them)

Application Process

• Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
• Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an online interview.
• Selected Visiting Researchers will be hosted at IstanPol and integrated into the Institute’s activities.

Submission

Please send your application (single PDF) to: applications@istanpol.org 

Deadline: Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Subject line: Application – Visiting Researcher Program